Gravity
by lovelybeauty468
Summary: Over the years of separation they still seem to obtain that bright sparkle that he had first been entranced by. Though, it also seems that the years have harmed that child like ignorance, leaving behind a woman who has had more than her fair share of heartache. Post S9 One Shot. Brucas reunion!


**A/N: Hey lovelies :D so…yeah a one shot. Honestly I just got a burst of inspiration run through me, and I just had to write it down :D**

**I was scrolling Through Tumblr and I found this beautiful quote, and Brucas just popped in my mind, and this was the result. I'm honestly not sure if I'm going to keep it up, I would REALLY appreciate and LOVE any advice or in put you guys have :D **

**PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOUR CUTIES THINK :D**

**Thank you for reading :)**

**I HOPE YOU GUYS ENJOY!**

**Gravity**

_What if the one we need, isn't the one we belong with?_

Pain courses through Lucas's veins when realizing this, that she has gone through so much that he hasn't the nearest idea of.

"What happened to us?" He questions her in a hush, the alcohol consumed earlier that night starting to cloud his mind.

"We use to know everything about each other, and now is like we never speak."

She bites on her lower lip, averting her gaze.

"What had happened to them? How was it that for one instant he was the boy she was still in love with, and the next he was no where to be seen.

**XOXO**

discordant voices of the people crowding the air port roars in Lucas Scott's ears.

The blonde is jostled through the Hurd of pedestrians swarming towards the terminal area, trying to catch their flights to be reunited with loved ones for the near coming holidays.

The entirety of the large airport seems to be infected with the holiday spirit, all excluding Lucas Scott.

Once he escapes the busy main area of the airport, Lucas makes his way towards the front exit.

The sky is colored in a darkness only invaded by the juxtaposition of star lights. As Lucas walks he feels the harsh whip of the cool winter breeze tousling strands of his golden air.

This is the first time in almost a decade that he has returned back to Tree Hill, the town that he had grown up in. The town where he had first experienced his passion towards basketball. The town where he had first felt what it truly meant to love someone, and the town where he first experienced how it truly felt to lose that love.

The man shakes off the overwhelming memories that have clouded his mind when first glancing around the familiar area, and starts towards where his close friend, Haley James, would be meeting him.

Post hearing that Lucas would be spending the holiday alone this year, Haley had insisted for Lucas to return home, and spend the week with his family in Tree Hill.

It hadn't taken much for Lucas to be convinced in the idea, and boarding the next flight out to the small North Carolina town.

His home felt unfamiliarly, and unpleasantly empty and the invitation was more than welcomed.

Peyton had taken their daughter, Sawyer Brooke Scott, out to the coast of California, where her father had been sanctioned for a week or so.

The curly haired woman had offered for Lucas to join them, though Lucas saw the small amount of insincerity deep in her forest greens. She hadn't spent much time with their daughter sense the divorce that had been officialized a little over a year prior, and Lucas knows that Peyton would much appreciate some genuine mother, daughter time.

So here he stood, thousands of miles away from his only child, and waiting for his sister in-law to retrieve him like an inconvenient relative, which in some sense, he feels he is.

"Lucas!" A cheerful voice exclaims before a pair of arms embrace him lovingly. Lucas returns the gesture easily, recognizing the girl even in the dark.

After so many years of friendship, Lucas can easily say that Haley James has become a part of him. A crucial, familiar peace that he would not trade for the world.

"Hey Hales," he breathes into the honey blonde's long soft main, feeling the smallest ``bit better over the situation he had found himself in.

After the greeting, Haley assists her close friend in carrying the little lovage he had brought for the week, into her car, and the two drove towards her large home, where a thanksgiving feast awaited.

**XOXO**

Heals click on the wooden floors of the grand home as a frantic brained brunette stumbles around her living room, searching for her small makeup bag.

Finally having found the small, golden makeup pouch lying near the sofa, Brooke Davis stands before one of the many mirrors embellishing the white walls. She adjusts her already perfectly painted makeup, although, before she can complete her task, she catches sent of smoke coming from the spacious kitchen.

Dropping the pencil in her hand, Brooke races towards the kitchen, pulling out the small contribution she had promised to bring to Nathan and Haley's thanksgiving dinner, from the oven.

Cursing to herself, Brooke picks up the tray of burnt peach cobbler.

Before getting to angry, the disheartened brunette grabs for ingredients, trying to salvage the dessert.

As she tries to fix the cobbler, Brooke hears the front door of her home shut.

Looking up, she spots her two sons trudging into the home. Sweat glistening off their skin, and one, Jude, holding a football.

"Hey," Brooke calls loudly towards the twins. "Thanksgiving dinner is in an hour, go shower up and get ready to go to your aunt Haley's."

The two boys role their matching hazel orbs, muttering some sort of confirmation that they had heard their mother, and they walk towards their respective rooms, a slumping posture taking over the two pairs of shoulders.

Brooke smirks to herself as she shakes her head towards the boys, the two were most definitely something else. Most of the time it was difficult to make them listen to a word she spoke, though, no matter the pain the two can be, they had brought an immense, unyielding amount of love and joy to her life. They made everything feel complete.

A loud ringing invades Brooke's thoughts, and she is brought out of her idl thoughts.

"Mom!" Davis Baker shouts from his bed room, "The phone is ringing!"

Rolling her eyes, Brooke laughs a "Thank you," towards her son, and goes to pick up the landline.

"Hello?"

"You're not answering your cell," the familiar, frustrated voice on the other line states.

"Sorry julian," Brooke sighs tiredly, almost wishing she had checked the caller ID before answering.

"My phone is in my purse, and my purse is somewhere I'm _not_."

Biting his lower lip, Julian gives a bashful nod, even though he knew she would not be able to see the action.

"I just wanted to apologize-"

"For the twentieth time today?" Brooke questions in an obviously annoyed tone. No matter how many times her husband would try and justify his actions, it made up for nothing, he was still gone, like he had been for every holiday of the passed two years. Like he had been for the passed four months, without a visit to be spoken of.

Ever since the cancelation of the television series they were so excited for, a small, under the surface strain had intruded their relationship.

Jullian became more distant, mourning over his faded away dreams of becoming a director, and at a point, Brooke had given up on trying to encourage him. It had gotten to tedious and too tiring.

Eventualy Julian had taken longer producing roles for movies which took place inn further away venues.

Then, gradually,Brooke had started swallowing herself back in to work, the way she had so many years ago. She was trying to forget the tense state of her marriage, but soon realized that no amount of work would be able to help.

And even though the two tried there best to act as normally as possible around their children, the boys were much more intuitive then their parents had given them credit for. They are well aware of the condition their family is in, and the two are waiting with bated breaths for their parents eventual divorce.

"What am I suppose to say Brooke?" Julian asks pleadingly , wanting, _needing_, for her to answer him. Needing to know what to do to salvage their relationship, to go back to the way they were, happy and in-love.

"You're not supposed to say anything," Brooke replies tiredly, it being obvious that the short conversation has already drained the energy from her.

"You're supposed to be here, celebrating Thanksgiving with your kids and family, your supposed to spend more time home than out of it. Your supposed to try and reconnect with your sons, because they miss their father..."

A piece of Julian feels broken when he hears her small, sad voice break at the last phrase she spoke. An explosion of self hatred covers him. He knows that he has afflicted so much pain towards her, and now, it just feels as if he is walking blindly on a floor of broken glass.

Not knowing where to step, but every time he did attempt to take one, he would only create pain.

"Brooke," he croaks out, wanting to defend himself, but not knowing how to. Every word she spoke is completely and harshly accurate and he is ashamed of it.

"I've got to go…we're going to be late for Thanksgiving dinner," Brooke sniffles before cutting the line, and moving to yet again fix her makeup.

at least that is one thing she can control.

**XOXO**

The pair of blondes walk up the walk way towards the front door of the Scott family's home. Lucas smiles to himself while listening to his closest friend chortle on about her life, and how excited Nathan and James were to see him.

"Uncle Luke," a not so familiar voice greets when spotting his a strained uncle walk through the door with his mother.

It feels as if someone had succor punched Lucas in the gut when he first spots the blonde seated on the couch.

It is a surreal feeling to see his god son, once such an energetic and impish boy, as a handsome young man.

"Hey Jay-Luke," Lucas grins, using the old nick name he had bestowed upon his nephew.

The two share a quick hug before Nathan Scott strides into the room, a smirk resigned in his features.

"Big brother," he greets with a large hug, having missed the blonde.

"Hey little bro," Lucas returns the embrace, having missed the raven haired man just as much.

The two pull away, and Lucas glances around the room, searching for one more member of the Scott family.

"So where's the girl?" He jokes with a smirk, not having formally met the youngest child of Nathan and Haley's.

"Upstairs," Haley responds, "She's still getting ready." A laugh breaks into the woman's composed features, sometimes amazed how much alike her daughter, Lidia, is to her god mother,.

She thought it odd that her son turned out looking and acting so much like his God father, Lucas her daughter came out to act like her God mother, Brooke Davis. There must have been some sort of since behind that?

Subsequently to the greetings between the small family, Lucas moves to help set up the dinner table.

The next passing hour continues as such, Lucas assisting by setting up the table, and talking with James and Nathan about the most recent news of the NBa. Though, the entire while there is an under lying question that has been silently agreed to be unspoken.

It is easy for all to see that Lucas does not wish to speak of his separation with Peyton, nor would he want to speak of how he feels spending the holiday without his daughter for the first time since her birth.

So they settled in speaking of non important, casual topics, things that have nothing to do with marriage, or children, or family in general.

The undertone of tension between the four sum is broken when the sound of a knock at the door invades the air.

Lucas subconsciously glances over towards the doorway, curious to see who had arrived.

Once he catches sight of her he feels a skipping in his heart, the same skipping that only she can bring to him.

**XOXO**

Soon after the conversation she had spoken with her husband, Brooke and her sons headed to the Scott family home for Thanksgiving dinner.

The two boys, Jude and Davis, were able to see that there was something upsetting their mother. She had tried to put on a large smile for the young preteens, but they were able to see right through the mask.

Though the boys want to make their mother feel better, they also know that Brooke will claim that she is fine every time they would ask, so they settle in just behaving and hoping that spending time with the Scotts will help her mood improve.

Brooke gives a quick rapping on the door before opening.

It had been long since that either Brooke or Haley felt it necessary to knock on one another's homes. They are family after all.

When Brooke, Jude, and Davis walk into the spacious home, Brooke's hazel greens catch on a silhouette that she did not expect seeing.

When his oceans meet her hazel orbs, it feels as if someone had just constrained her heart in a metal hand. Cold, and tight gripping.

He is still handsome, as always. He had cut his hair the way it was back in high school, giving him a boyish exterior, even though he is now pushing the boarder of his late thirties.

Before she has a clue to what is happening she feels his arms envelop her in a friendly hug, like the many they had shared before, the hugs where it proved difficult for her to ever pull away.

Though, this time, she was the first to let loose of the embrace, wanting to take a closer look at him.

Her eyes scan the tiny changes in his features, like the small scar on his upper lip, and the way his eyes seemed more grey than blue, and from what she can tell, he is doing the same to her own features.

"You look good Davis," he tries laughing. Seeing her again somehow made everything feel less abstract and more concrete Lucas starting to realize that he is really her, in Tree Hill.

"Mom?" One of the small boys questions in an even smaller voice, tugging on his mother's skirt.

Snapping back to reality, Brooke pulls from Lucas, and moves behind her sons, her and _Julian's_ sons.

"Luke, I want you to meet two very important people," Brooke starts to introduce. "Luke, meet Davis and Jude Baker…Boys meet your uncle Lucas."

The boys look up questioningly at the blonde man in front of them. They had heard of Jamie speaking of a so called, _awesome_, uncle Luke, and they wonder if this is he.

Lucas glances down at the boy who had called Brooke, "mom," and notices the boy right besides him, who must have been his identical twin, because Lucas can see no real difference between the two, except for the one Brooke had introduced as Davis is slightly shorter than the other twin, Jude.

Of course Lucas had known that Brooke had created a life of her own after he and Peyton's departure.

He knew that she had gotten married to Julian Baker, and still regretted that he did not attend the wedding. Truth be told, he would have if Peyton hadn't left on business trip for the second branch of her label, _red-door records_, and had insisted that Sawyer had been far to sick to travel all the way to Tree Hill, North Carolina.

Lucas had also known, thanks to Haley, that Brooke had given birth to a pair of beautiful twin boys.

Although, looking down at them now, seeing the uncanny resemblance they held to their mother, the facts he knew seem surreal. As if this was all a dream, an extremely vivid dream, and at any moment he would wake up. He would be back in senior year, and everything would feel right, the way things hadn't felt in so long.

The blonde physically shakes his head, warding off the thoughts from creeping back into his mind.

"Hey," Lucas smiles down at the boys, still finding it unnerving the way they look up at him with those hazel eyes that he would forever, only associate with their mother.

"Hi," the boy previously introduced as Jude replies. "Cool necklace," the boys index finger points up at the band wrapped around Lucas's neck, with an animal's tooth hanging off of it.

"Thanks man," Lucas grins. "Its a shark tooth."

"Cool," Davis, who had been quiet up until now, spoke up with wide eyes.

A smile etches its way into Brooke's features without her even knowing it.

Watching the interaction between the three caused a warming feeling to course through her, the same feeling that she had gotten when watching Lucas spend time with the baby Brooke had taken care of all those years ago, Angie.

**XOXO**

The night had gone by quickly. The group enjoying themselves far more than had been expected.

As they sat around the large table, the adults retold long passed memories, as the children sputtered out rapid questions directed towards the new, unfamiliar adult sitting along side them, and Lucas did nothing more than laugh and answer the questions kindly, a feeling of nostalgia coming over him.

He has greatly missed the close nit friend group he had left behind when moving away with his now ex-wife, and he wonders why he hadn't moved back home.

Post the dinner, Nathan had taken Jamie, Lidia, and the twins in the back yard for a game of pool basketball, While Haley, Lucas, and Brooke opted in staying indoors and playing a game of cards, where each time a person would lose, he or she had to take a shot of whiskey.

So far, Haley had emptied a bottle and a half on her own.

"Full house!" The petite blonde exclaims with a giddy sort of grin, laying the cards down flat on the table.

"Hales…" Brooke laughs, "I haven't finished passing out the cards yet."

"Oh…right…" Haley realizes disappointedly.

"Let me just save us the time," she groans while taking the bottle of whiskey and poring herself a shot. Laughing at her drunkin stuper Lucas stands from his seat, "Well as much as I'd love to stay and watch a drunkin Haley James-Scott…" Lucas smirks, "But I'm gonna get going."

"Why," Haley complains with a pout.

Lucas laughs at her childish expression, trying to remember the last time he had ever seen the good, pure Haley James drunk. The thought made him want to laugh outloud.

"Sorry Hales, but I'm still feeling kind of jet legged, and I just wanna get home and sleep."

"Fine," the honey blonde sighs standing up. "I'll…drop you off…" She offers in-between hiccups.

"On other thoughts…that might not be safe…" Haley drops back in to her sitting position, eyes drooping low.

"I'll drive you," Brooke offers.

"Its fine," Lucas declines, not wanting to impose. "I can just walk."

"Don't be silly," Brooke argues, "Its like mid-night, I can just drop you off, and come back for Jude and Davis."

Before Lucas can reply, Haley throws her set of keys towards brooke, they landing mere inches from the edge of the table.

"Here, all his crap is still in my car…I'm going to bed." She stands once more, and walks off with a yawn.

"She can be a mean drunk," Lucas observes.

"Yeah," Brooke agrees with a laugh. Pulling on the blonde man's arm, leading him out towards the car.

**XOXO**

Minutes later, they are parked outside of the home Lucas had left behind so many years ago. The home where he had grown up in. The home where he thought his daughter would grow up in, before the job offer for Peyton had made it otherwise.

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it," Brooke responds with a genuine smile.

"Wanna come down?" he offers hopefully, with a raised brow.

"I can't…" Brooke declines uncertainly.

"Come on Davis," Lucas jokes, "I'm sure Jude and Davis are having plenty of fun with Nate."

Gnawing on her lower lip, Brooke unsurely agrees and turns off the engine of the vehicle.

**XOXO**

Brooke sets the small duffle bag on the ground near the large suitcase Lucas had brought in moments ago.

Her gaze straying from the bags to the room as a whole.

After the home was used as the set for the unsuccessful teen/drama, it had been emptied. Only leaving behind the bed from previously.

It had been slightly difficult for Brooke to watch the workers empty out the all so familiar room. It felt as if they were taring away the last piece of her teenage years, and replacing the memories with artificial props.

Standing here now, she couldn't help but reminisce of that night in the end of junior year.

The way Lucas had surprised her with the kind gesture of moving her things into his room, and informing her that she will not be leaving.

Hearing him tell her that he was not ready to lose her was perhaps the precise moment when she realized how much she truly needed him, even if it was just friendship at that point.

Thinking of that moment even now it was difficult not to tear up.

She shakes the memory from her head, and steps out of the room, spotting the blonde sitting on the steps outside of his door. Lucas seems to be lost in thought, his face being composed in that familiar brooding expression that she has accustomed to belonging to him, and only him.

"What are you doing out here?" Brooke questions, arms wrapping across her chest in attempt to shield off the winter breeze.

"You're gonna catch a cold," she chastises.

"No, _your_ gonna catch a cold." Lucas counters, eyeing the sleeveless blouse she wears.

He slips off his leather jacket smoothly, revealing a white T-shirt that shows off a pair of toned arms, and offers it to the brunette.

Brooke declines, feeling to guilty to take the jacket on such a windy night.

"Come on Davis," Lucas presses, giving a shake to the jacket, "I drank plenty with Hales, I'll be fine. Now take it."

Cautiously, Brooke takes the jacket from his grasp, and slips it over her shoulders, thanking the blonde before taking a seat besides him on the top step.

"So what are you really doing sitting out here?" She asks him curiously.

"I like these steps," Lucas shrugs. "A lot has happened on these steps."

"Well I think they're old," Brooke remarks with a scoff. "You should really get them redone or something."

Lucas laughs at her advice, "They're fine Brooke." He claims, a large grin still plastered onto his features.

"Well forgive me for _giving a rat's ass_ about how your house looks to other people." She says with a roll of the eyes.

"Your forgiven," Lucas smirks before leaning against the step.

"Do you remember senior year Thanksgiving?" Lucas wonders out loud.

"Oh God don't remind me!" Brooke nearly squeals. "I couldn't look into your mom's eyes for like a week!" Brooke laughs, a blush rushing to her cheeks.

Lucas remises how he and Brooke had been caught on the eve before Thanksgiving by none other than his mother, Karen Roe, in a less than appropriate position.

Brooke had tried avoiding the curly haired brunette an entire week following that incident, until Lucas had convinced her that everything was alright.

"She never looks at you in quite the same way, does she?" Lucas teases, being rewarded with a playful smack on the arm by Brooke.

"Shut up," she commands.

And the two find themselves laughing. Laughing the way neither has in quite a while.

Perhaps it is alcohol induced, or perhaps it is the simple high of seeing one another again. But either way, for that small instant of time, they were happy.

In the midst of their laughter, their eyes catch.

He stares in to her soft hazel greens, a flourish of memories flowing to the forefront of his mind

Seeing her in the back seat of his old, beat up truck.

Kissing her on these very steps outside of his bedroom.

The first _I love you _they shared only feet away from this spot, all those years ago.

The two of them lying on a couch, while a perfect, baby girl slept in one of his arms, and the other wrapping around Brooke's small frame.

Though none of those memories are as piercing, or as difficult to remember than the sight of her walking out of his room, after telling him that she no longer misses him the way she should.

It feels as if the sharp tip of a blade stabs his heart with each recollection that passes, painful and unrelentless.

"Was it hard?" Brooke asks in a hush, thinking that he is recalling different memory completely.

Brooke elaborates when seeing the quizzical expression sculpted into his features.

"When you and Peyton finally called it quits, I mean…that must have hurt like hell. Right?"

With shut eyes, Lucas shakes his head passively. In that moment, Brooke saw the young teenager she had fallen so deeply in love with, rather than the tired adult she has spent the night with.

"It wasn't a messy break or anything," Lucas explains. "It was just the next step of a long, agonizing process."

He sighs, getting more in detail with what truly had happened to he and Peyton.

"I guess, after we moved I was kind of angry at her for us leaving the only home I ever knew, and I never really let go of that anger. Then, her business started to skyrocket, and I was still working on my third book, trying to find inspiration and all. And soon enough we just kind of forgot about each other. Hell, it wasn't even that we forgot about each other, we just didn't care if we didn't see each other every day or not…and soon enough, Sawyer became our only tie bonding us together...So after we _both_ finally excepted and moved on from that, we filed for divorce."

Brooke nods along to his story, watching him the entire time, though his expression never changed. It remained one of passiveness and acceptance, rather than the hurt and pain she expected.

A tugging pulled at the brunette's heart, she knowing very well how it felt to have a spouse who's only common interest is the kids.

"How did sawyer take it?" Brooke asks compassionately, cursing herself for not spending any time with her god daughter.

"Better than either of us could have expected," Lucas answers bluntly. "It was almost as if she was expecting it, as if she could tell we weren't acting the way her friend's parents did…But she's happy. She likes having two parents to smooch off of, and having two rooms, and all that."

Brooke chuckles, "She sounds amazing."

"She is," Lucas smirks proudly. "And, she is also very excited to meet her God mother."

Brooke raises a brow towards him, "She knows me?"

"Course she knows you," he laughs, "After she found out why her middle name was _Brooke_ she has been going insane asking about you, and when she can meet you."

Brooke gives him a kind smile, "I would love to meet her."

"Well be forewarned…she is about ten times as girly as Peyton ever was…so…basically she's like a mini you." Lucas teases.

"Hah, hah, very funny blondie." She grins.

The two share a small, tame laugh.

"Jude and Davis are pretty awesome kids, they remind me of Jamie when he was young."

"Yeah, I never imagined having two James Lucas Scotts running around, but I'm handling it." Brooke sighs in a mock exasperated tone.

"they really are great kids," Lucas assures. "And lucky for you, they look just like ya and were spared Julian's genes."

"Lucas!" Brooke chides, smacking his arm once more.

"Just stating a fact Davis."

"Yeah, what ever," Brooke grins.

Her eyes gaze down towards her hands, and she spots the glint of her large diamond ring in the moon light.

She is reminded of her earlier conversation with Julian and her good mood dissipates.

"So where is Julian?" Lucas asks carefully, watching as the smile melts off her lovely face.

"He's working on a movie," Brooke answers plainly, trying to hide the true strain between she and her husband.

"On Thanksgiving?"

Brooke gives a shrug of her petite shoulders,"He has a busy schedule, and it can't be interrupted by anything. Even if it is a silly little holiday with his family," she adds distastefully.

"trouble in paradise?"

Brooke shakes her head, "No, just a momentary lapse." She shines a grin towards Lucas, thinking that a pretty shell could hide her true emotions.

Though, Lucas knows Brooke, he knows the Brooke behind all the glamor, and bravado.

_The Brooke behind the red door._

He knows her well enough to know that there is something more. Lucas knows that she is hiding the truth of the situation, and it would be pointless to try and drag the truth out of her.

"Well, if Julian doesn't know what he is missing, than he is a dumb ass, because he should be thanking God above that he was able to get a girl as beautiful, and brilliant, and amazing as you."

Brooke is momentarily stunned to silence. Hearing him speak those words to her, it feels as if she is back in that night. Fear, and worry of the future coursing through her.

But hearing him speak such kind words to her, _beautiful, and brilliant, and brave, _made everything feel better.

Brooke is amazed that he still has that hold over her.

"Thank you…" She speaks in a low whisper.

His deep oceans smolder into her gentle hazel orbs, they slowly being swallowed by the mixture of familiarity and strain in them.

Over the years of separation they still seem to obtain that bright sparkle that he had first been entranced by. Though, it also seems that the years have harmed that child like ignorance, leaving behind a woman who has had more than her fair share of heartache.

Pain courses through Lucas's veins when realizing this, that she has gone through so much that he hasn't the nearest idea of.

"What happened to us?" He questions her in a hush, the alcohol consumed earlier that night starting to cloud his mind.

"We use to know everything about each other, and now is like we never speak."

She bites on her lower lip, averting her gaze.

"What had happened to them? How was it that for one instant he was the boy she was still in love with, and the next he was no where to be seen.

Brooke takes a deep breath before answering him, however, she does not look in to his eyes, that would be far to difficult to handle.

"Somehow, we grew up, found our _soulmates_, and we got married, and had families, and naturally…we grew apart." Brooke spoke that word, _soulmate_, with such distain, that it made Lucas wonder if she could ever truly believe in that premise, because he has long since given up on it.

"…Then we realized that somewhere along the way we screwed up, and I'm stuck wondering who the hell I am, and you look as if you haven't had an actual conversation with your husband in months." Lucas adds scornfully.

"Pretty much," Brooke agrees with a sardonic chuckle.

"Do you ever think life could have been different if we had…"

"More times than I'd wish to admit," Brooke blushes, "But there is nothing we can do. We have our own lives now, we have our own children, and careers, and I don't think we can ever really be together ever again…"

Lucas nods his head, his eyes are focused on something far away. He does not want to let her see the pain in his oceans, the hope she had crushed in a few simple words.

Sensing the tension in the air, Brooke lets out a sigh, and speaks out loud what she swore she would never speak again, not to Lucas Scott.

"I still love you Luke…"

At the sound of her gentle rasp speaking those words, those words that he had never thought she would ever speak again, his heart stops for an instant, and his gaze locks with hers.

"Luke, I never stopped loving you, I just moved on from you. And every time I think of the way I needed you, the way I know I still need you, I think of Julian, and I know that he is the one for me. And I'm happy with him, at least I _was_ happy with him…So I guess I'm saying, that even though I need you, we're not meant to be…I'm sorry."

Lucas feels a wrenching from his heart, though it was not caused by what he expected.

It was not caused by Brooke telling him that they would never be together again. He had put away the hope of Brooke Davis long ago, he had tucked it away in to a piece of his heart and mind, only to be remembered on those excruciatingly lonely nights without Sawyer, or anyone else to speak to. Those memories becoming a sort of refuge for him, remembering the greatness, and divine feeling that life can bring you, if you are with the right person.

No, Lucas is not upset over the rejection of the beauty, he is hurt by the sound of her small voice when speaking of Julian Baker. _…at least I was happy with him_…

Suddenly Lucas felt an overwhelming feeling to pound Julian's face in to a wall for not realizing what he is losing. Lucas is angry that Julian is acting as dimwitted as he did all those years ago, slowly slipping away from the greatest thing that would ever happen to him.

"Do you still love him?" Lucas asks forcefully, needing for her to answer.

"Lucas…" Brooke sighs, thinking this was some way he is trying to convince her that she should be with him instead.

"Brooke, _please_ answer me. _Do you love Julian Baker_?"

The brunette bites on her inner cheek before answering, "of course I do."

"Than go after him, fight for him. Fight to save the marriage you guys share, and get back the small happy family you deserve. Because I know how it feels losing someone because you didn't fight hard enough, and believe me Davis, it hurts like hell."

Brooke stares up at him, wondering what he meant. Who was the person he lost because he did not fight hard enough?

Though, she shakes off the wonder, and feels an overwhelming feeling of doubt towards his words.

"Luke, I don't think that at this point, things are that easy…"

"They are," Lucas assures. "Just go over to Julian, and tell him how things stand, and I promise he will agree to anything, because if he doesn't, he'll have me to deal with."

A pained smile cracks across her beautiful face, a wave of gratitude washing over her.

"Okay…" she nods, "But I'm only gonna do that if you promise _one thing_."

Lucas raises a brow in question.

"You are going to try and find yourself again…Because the Lucas Scott I know is one of the most amazing people on this earth, and I know that he is a lot closer than you think."

Lucas nods, agreeing to the conditions.

The two stand up from the steps in unison. They shake on the deal.

However, their hands stay interlocked for longer than needed, and their eyes meet for the last time.

Both realizing very well that this maybe the last time either of them speak for a long while, and both are reluctant to let go of the other's hand. Because if they do, the moment is over, and they will say farewell for who knows how long.

"So…we're here," Lucas articulates slowly, and quietly.

"We're here," Brooke agrees in the same tone.

"I'm a fashion designer."

"I'm a novelist."

"I have two boys."

"And I have a little girl…"

A pained, broken smile breaks into Brooke's lovely features, making her seem wickedly beautiful underneath the dark night sky.

Her tresses seem as if ebony, flowing down her shoulders. And her piercing green orbs are the only color on her ivory face. Their color only being accented by the smudged eye liner on her soft lids.

"Is it just me or is fate a bitch," she croaks a small chuckle, though, Lucas hears the pain in her voice, it being the same pain in his own when he speaks.

"Its not just you…"

The two pull each other in for one lasting embrace.

Each taking in the other's sent, the feel of them pressed against their bodies. the feeling as if after years, a once smoker was given a rush of nicotine. Painful, but fulfilling.

The two stay in that position for a while, neither knowing how long it was when they finally pulled apart, but when they did, the very thing they expected to happen, did.

They turn from each other, Brooke yet clad in his leather jacket.

Lucas slams the door of his room shut, and Brooke climbs into the car, driving away from the boy she has never,and will never let go of.

The next day, Brooke and her children fly off to New York, taking Lucas's advice to reassemble there broken family.

Lucas decides to travel along Europe, much like his mother and Andy had. He having Sawyer for two weeks out of every month, and every other holiday..

**XOXO**

A year after, Lucas receives an invitation to the vow renewal of Julian and Brooke Baker.

A small note attached saying only one sentence,

_I followed through, now its your turn_

A year post receiving the letter, Brooke finds a package delivered to her door step.

A book with a small note attached on the top.

_I always keep my word_

_I miss you_

Brooke flips through the novel. The story telling of two great lovers, who had been through many obstacles, but being torn apart at the final moment.

The two fall in love with some one new, have families of their own, and create lives for themselves. Though neither is truly happy.

Then, late in their lives, the two find each other once more. They spend the last few years together in their elderly state, before the man's death.

However, the woman is still happy, because those last few years they had spent together before his death, were the best years either had had in decades.

_People think a soulmate is a perfect fit, and that's what everyone wants. But a true soulmate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you back to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soulmate is probably the most important person you'll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soulmate forever? Nah. Too painful. __**Soulmates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave.**__ A soulmate's purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so that new light can enter, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life. —_

_Elizabeth Gilbert_

**A/N: So yeah…PLEASE let me know what you guys think, I think I'm just gonna delete it and call it a day, but I would LOVE you cuties opinions on how it turned out, and if I should keep it up or not. again, PLEASE LET ME KNOW IN THE REVIEWS!**

**I would really appreciate it :)**

**Thank you so much for reading and hopefully reviewing**

**All My Love**

**~Bree**


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